MSE News: New Green Deal Home Improvement Fund begins today – is it worth it for you?

AzaC

Good luck finding an installer that actually does windows under the green deal and this new improvement scheme. I searched the entire south east and two installers appeared. One of the websites was not even built yet! I hate how you have to go through the green deal installers. None of them are companies you would recognize. When you are buying products which have long warranties (10 years for many windows) you want to make sure they will be around to fulfill that obligation. I'm making loads of improvements to my home. New heating, doors windows, insulation. I'm not likely to get any cashback because i want to go with companies I know and trust and actually like the look of their products. Badly executed scheme I think.

• register for their GDHIF voucher when the application website and telephone hotline number go live in early June;
• once they have received their voucher, customers must have the improvements installed by a registered Green Deal installer or provider within six months;

captainhindsight_2

AzaC wrote: »

Good luck finding an installer that actually does windows under the green deal and this new improvement scheme. I searched the entire south east and two installers appeared. One of the websites was not even built yet! I hate how you have to go through the green deal installers. None of them are companies you would recognize. When you are buying products which have long warranties (10 years for many windows) you want to make sure they will be around to fulfill that obligation. I'm making loads of improvements to my home. New heating, doors windows, insulation. I'm not likely to get any cashback because i want to go with companies I know and trust and actually like the look of their products. Badly executed scheme I think.

• register for their GDHIF voucher when the application website and telephone hotline number go live in early June;
• once they have received their voucher, customers must have the improvements installed by a registered Green Deal installer or provider within six months;

You should be able to find a local installer who can they pay a small admin fee to go through an approved companies certification so you can get the tradesmen you want and the cashback you want. So its win win.

If the local companies you want to use are not doing this, I would question there work and how switched on they were to not offer this.

The purpose of having to use a green deal installer, is that you as a consumer has much more protection if something goes wrong and there is much more auditing carried out on these companies to protect the consumer and means you should get a much better service and products.

This IMO is important as it is government money, and you wouldnt want any cowboy installers to be able to access it.

lstar337

captainhindsight wrote: »

You should be able to find a local installer who can they pay a small admin fee to go through an approved companies certification so you can get the tradesmen you want and the cashback you want. So its win win.

If the local companies you want to use are not doing this, I would question there work and how switched on they were to not offer this.

The purpose of having to use a green deal installer, is that you as a consumer has much more protection if something goes wrong and there is much more auditing carried out on these companies to protect the consumer and means you should get a much better service and products.

This IMO is important as it is government money, and you wouldnt want any cowboy installers to be able to access it.

So what is the point of all the extra auditing if (as you say) any local can do it if he pays a small fee to piggy-back off another companies certification?

captainhindsight_2

lstar337 wrote: »

So what is the point of all the extra auditing if (as you say) any local can do it if he pays a small fee to piggy-back off another companies certification?

Because there is a requirement for the parent company to audit any subcontractors (the local company) which in turn is audited by the certification scheme which is audited by ofgem.

This ensures everyone in the chain is carrying out the work to the correct standards which are above standard building regs.

In addition to this the individual labours who carry out the work must have completed formal training or have been assessed as competent for what they are doing which is not a requirement if this is not been done through the scheme.

It seems like you are picking at things to complain about this scheme rather that seeing the benefits of it.

lstar337

captainhindsight wrote: »

It seems like you are picking at things to complain about this scheme rather that seeing the benefits of it.

A bit much to accuse me of picking at the scheme when I have only made one post in the whole thread!

I only asked because your post seemed to contradict the point you were making.

Either way, I still don't see a chain of audits as a safe system. Only takes one bad link to make a mess at the end.

AzaC

I'm just not seeing how you could get replacement windows when there are no installers for companies youw ould recognize. The scheme appears to limit the choice you would usually enjoy as a consumer. I understand that a certain level of oversight is required but looking at the current list of providers and installers I do not see any company I would recognize or feel comfortable with giving thousands of pounds.

captainhindsight_2

lstar337 wrote: »

A bit much to accuse me of picking at the scheme when I have only made one post in the whole thread!

I only asked because your post seemed to contradict the point you were making.

Either way, I still don't see a chain of audits as a safe system. Only takes one bad link to make a mess at the end.

There is a lot more to the consumer protection than just the auditing, I just mentioned it as an example

In the construction industry there is very little regulation,.any one can set up and install Windows or insulation etc.

Without some sort of certification you don't know what you are getting it is called pas2030 and it is the most detailed processes in the construction industry and provides much more consumer protection than any other certification in construction.


This is important because without there would be no control.

My post didn't contradict its self...

captainhindsight_2

AzaC wrote: »

I'm just not seeing how you could get replacement windows when there are no installers for companies youw ould recognize. The scheme appears to limit the choice you would usually enjoy as a consumer. I understand that a certain level of oversight is required but looking at the current list of providers and installers I do not see any company I would recognize or feel comfortable with giving thousands of pounds.

Also you should probably take in to consideration it is only day two of this new incentive scheme.

It's not a quick process getting set up to offer this if they want to operate indipendently

lstar337

captainhindsight wrote: »

My post didn't contradict its self...

It did, until you explained further.

captainhindsight_2

lstar337 wrote: »

It did, until you explained further.

This could go on an on....